The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is Australia's national transport safety investigator. The ATSB's function is to improve safety and public confidence in the aviation, marine and rail modes of transport. The ATSB is Australia's prime agency for the independent investigation of civil aviation, rail and maritime accidents, incidents and safety deficiencies.

Summary

Summary

The pilot and an approved testing officer were engaged in a commercial licence flight test. An aircraft landing area inspection of Wagin runway 06 and a touch-and-go landing were completed. This was followed by a period of instrument flying. The testing officer then gave the pilot a simulated engine failure, overhead Wagin airfield at 3500 ft. The pilot flew the aircraft to a short base leg for runway 34 at 1000 ft above ground level. Following the pilot's comment that the approach was high, the testing officer instructed him to do something about it. He lowered the nose and allowed the aircraft to accelerate whilst continuing the descent towards the strip. Speed over the runway threshold was faster than optimum and the aircraft landed, following a bounce, 600 m into the 1000 m strip. As the pilot applied power to go around the testing officer observed powerlines across the departure end of the runway. He instructed the pilot to keep the aircraft on the ground and they attempted to stop in the runway remaining. The runway surface included loose gravel and de-acceleration was poor. Main wheel skid marks were apparent for 300 m. The aircraft ran off the end of the runway and collided with a raised road surface and a water pipe. The left main and nose landing gear legs collapsed. The aircraft came to a complete stop 100 metres from the end of the runway. The powerlines were not observed during the landing area inspection because it concentrated on runway 06 and not 34. The testing officer later indicated that he had tried too hard to introduce some realism into the exercise. He had allowed a simulated situation to continue without ensuring that the aircraft could overshoot safely or stop within the runway confines, should it become necessary. The pilot had not taken independent action because he was under pressure to meet the test requirements and expected the more experienced testing officer to maintain a safety watch.